Proofreading is one of the best side hustles for making money online, because it’s something you can do from anywhere with a computer and a fast internet connection. You don’t need to have special certifications or attend any training programs to become a proofreader. In fact, like many other people, you probably already have all the skills necessary to succeed as a proofreader as long as you are willing to work and have excellent reading comprehension and spelling skills. This job also doesn’t require much time — most gigs only take about 20 to 30 minutes to complete if you’re a fast reader. It might not seem like it on the surface, but being a private proofreader is one of the best, if not the best, lucrative side hustles on this list because there is such high demand for this service.
Most people who want to become private proofreaders are afraid they won’t be able to find work at their own pace with other potential clients (such as authors), preferring an agency over an independent worker. Fortunately, that isn’t true! There are plenty of interesting and lucrative ways you can make money online as a proofreader starting today! You don’t even need any particular experience to be a proofreader, and the earnings will vary depending on how much work you get and how quickly you can complete it. You can set your own hours too. What more could you possibly even want from a side hustle?
How to Make Money Proofreading Online
As a freelance proofreader, you can set your own rates and choose what types of projects you want to take on. You can also specialize in a certain kinds of editing (such as copyediting or content editing). The best way to get started is to look for places that accept remote applications, including freelance websites and posting ads on Craigslist with your rates. You can also always try reaching out cold to businesses directly to see if they are interested in hiring freelance proofreaders. When applying to jobs, make sure to highlight any relevant experience you have and use a professional-sounding email address such as [email protected] instead of something like Gmail or yahoo.
When proofreading, you are analyzing a document to find any mistakes and errors. This is a specialized skill set that not many people possess, and it can be a very lucrative side hustle. When you’re proofreading, you’re reading over a document, usually, a written piece of text such as an essay or an article, looking for grammar mistakes, spelling errors, or punctuation mistakes to ensure the document is literally almost perfect before it is published.
Freelance Websites for Proofreaders
The freelance websites listed below are all excellent places to start looking for proofreading jobs. Most of these sites allow both experienced and newbie proofreaders to sign up for accounts. Some even offer the ability to start earning money right away — even if you’re just getting started as a freelance proofreader! Hudl: Hudl accepts both written and video reviews. It’s best to apply during the summer and fall when students are studying for standardized tests and they’re required to review practice test questions. Gigster: Gigster is a crowdsourcing platform that enables businesses to outsource a variety of tasks, including proofreading and copyediting. Upwork is one of the most used and popular freelance websites in the world. It’s easy to sign up and easy to get work. The only drawback is there are a lot of people on the site willing to do the same work you are.
Fiverr
Fiverr is one of the best starting places to make money as a freelance proofreader because you can specialize in just about any type of writing, editing, or proofreading service. Earnings on Fiverr are based on how quickly you complete jobs and how well you rate your clients, so the sooner you finish up work and the better reviews you get from your clients, the more money you’ll make. Although this option is not for everyone, it’s a great way to earn some extra cash quickly. You can still search for other freelance sites and clients outside of Fiverr, but it’s great to use as a fallback when you’re not finding clients quickly and easily. You can set your own rates on Fiverr, so it’s up to you how much you want to charge per service.
Upwork
Upwork has a wide variety of projects, including proofreading and editing. Upwork is very popular among freelancers, and there are usually a lot of work opportunities available. Although this option is not for everyone, it’s a great way to earn some extra cash quickly and easily. You can still search for other freelance sites and clients outside of Upwork, but it’s great to use as a fallback when you’re not finding clients quickly and easily. Just like other freelance websites, you have the option to set your own rates. Rates can vary greatly depending on your experience and the type of work you do. Beginners can earn as little as $5 per hour, while more seasoned and experienced professionals can earn $50 or more per hour.
Craigslist
Craigslist is yet another interesting place to advertise your services as a proofreader. You can post an ad on the general jobs section with your rates, experience, and any special skills you have. You can also try searching the ads section for people who may need proofreading services. While most people will use Craigslist to find employees, you can also use it to find clients. Although this option is not for everyone, it’s a great way to earn some extra cash quickly.
Amazon mTurk
You can also make money as a proofreader on Amazon mTurk. mTurk is a crowdsourcing marketplace where people can complete tasks, such as reviewing products, writing descriptions for products, or proofreading documents. You can set your own hours that you are available and work as much or as little as you want. Keep in mind that mTurk isn’t going to make you rich, but it is a nice way to bring in some decent extra income while you’re doing other things, such as watching TV or going on walks. Like other freelance websites, you have the option to set your own rates. Rates can vary greatly depending on your experience and the type of work you do. Beginners can earn as little as $1 per hour, while more seasoned and experienced professionals can earn $50 or more per hour.
Google Play and iTunes Reviewer
If you have excellent grammar, spelling, and sentence structure skills, you can make money by reviewing products on these platforms. Apple and Google usually pay $10 to $15 per review, and the review process is fairly quick and easy. You need to be very critical when reviewing products and make sure to give honest feedback, not just positive feedback for the sake of receiving payment. Like other freelance websites, you have the option to set your own rates. Rates can vary greatly depending on your experience and the type of work you do. Beginners can earn as little as $10 per review, while more seasoned and experienced professionals can earn $50 or more per review.
Conclusion
As you can see from previous examples, there are many ways to make money online as a proofreader. The best way to do it and make the most money is to diversify and do a bit of everything. The more places you go and apply, and the more skills you have, the better chance you have of earning money in your free time. The great thing about being a proofreader is that you can do it while you’re on the couch, at the library, or even in bed! All you need is a computer and a reliable internet connection. There are hundreds of websites that are looking for proofreaders to join their team. You can also find freelance work or start your own blog.
The best thing about being a proofreader is that you can work whenever you want.
You don’t have to commute to an office, wear a suit, or answer to a boss. You can always be your own boss and decide when you want to work. You can make money from home as a proofreader at any age, and you don’t need any prior experience. In fact, a fresh pair of eyes is often more beneficial than someone who has been in the industry for years. As long as you own a somewhat good computer and an internet connection, you can make money as a proofreader. Sign up for a few content mills, rewrite some articles, and start posting on Reddit.
These are all great ways to make money online as a proofreader. If you have some of that extra time available on your hands, you can make some quick cash from home. It doesn’t matter if you’re young or old; there are ways to make money online as a proofreader. The more proofreading experience you gain in it and the more skills you add to your resume, the higher your hourly rate can be. This can be a truly great way to make a passive income stream if you want something that is hands-off. Being a proofreader may not seem like a high-paying career path, but it can be a lucrative side hustle. The more you put into this thing, the more you can take it out. Thanks for reading!